Why Map Issues? On Controversy Analysis as a Digital Method

Science, Technology & Human Values
Noortje Marres

Abstract

This article takes stock of recent efforts to implement controversy analysis as a digital method in the study of science, technology, and society (STS) and beyond and outlines a distinctive approach to address the problem of digital bias. Digital media technologies exert significant influence on the enactment of controversy in online settings, and this risks undermining the substantive focus of controversy analysis conducted by digital means. To address this problem, I propose a shift in thematic focus from controversy analysis to issue mapping. The article begins by distinguishing between three broad frameworks that currently guide the development of controversy analysis as a digital method, namely, demarcationist, discursive, and empiricist. Each has been adopted in STS, but only the last one offers a digital "move beyond impartiality." I demonstrate this approach by analyzing issues of Internet governance with the aid of the social media platform Twitter.

References

May 20, 1998·Current Biology : CB·J M Wolfe
Dec 20, 2000·Brain Research·L W Swanson
Jul 20, 2011·Journal of Addiction Medicine·Darius A RastegarStephen D Sisson
Jun 30, 2012·PloS One·Taha YasseriJános Kertész
Feb 19, 2013·Journal of Pediatric Health Care : Official Publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners·Christine A Ateah
Jul 9, 2013·Public Understanding of Science·Tommaso Venturini

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Citations

Dec 15, 2018·Obesity Reviews : an Official Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity·Torben Elgaard JensenAstrid P Jespersen
Mar 25, 2019·Medical Care Research and Review : MCRR·Payam AbrishamiKlasien Horstman
Feb 13, 2021·Public Understanding of Science·Laurie Waller, Mascha Gugganig
Jan 29, 2020··Adrian GradinarMonika Büscher
Jul 1, 2019··Jessamy Perriam, Jessamy Perriam

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Software Mentioned

IssueCrawler
ANT
STS

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